Coaching Athletics

CA-NEWSLETTER-Sept-Oct_Layout 1 9/12/13 1:34 PM Page 1

Volume 8, Number 3 • Fall 2013

Featuring USATF Prepares for New Heights 8 Steeplechaser Evan Jager 11 Summer Mileage Program 13

Steeplechaser Evan Jager

www.PhotoRun.net

CA-NEWSLETTER-Sept-Oct_Layout 1 9/11/13 12:26 PM Page 2

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CA-NEWSLETTER-Sept-Oct_Layout 1 9/11/13 12:26 PM Page 3

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quarterly

COACHING AT H L E T I C S On our cover is steepler Evan Jager, an example of the new breed of American distance runner. Jager was a very good high school runner who was recruited by Jerry Schumacher, then coach at University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In 2010, when Schumacher moved to the Nike Oregon Track Club, he took several Badgers, including Matt Tegenkamp, Tim Nelson, Chris Solinsky and, yes, Evan Jager. Jager moved to Portland and continued under Schumacher’s watchful eyes.

In 2012, after a couple of okay years, Pascal Dobert, former elite steepler and assistant coach with Schumacher, introduced Jager to the steeplechase. His first race was a win and an 8:26. His second race was a PB in 8:21, but included the proverbial dunking that all steeplers get. His hurdling was atrocious, and Schumacher and Dobert spent time with Jager after the Oxy meet in mid May to perfect his form.

At the U.S. Olympic Trials Jager was a different runner. He won in fine form and, before the Olympics, broke the American record with his 8:06.81 on July 20, 2012. In his first Olympics, Evan finished 6th in the Olympic final!

Jager opened 2013 with a PB at 1500 meters in the Oxy meet, running a fine 3:36.34. At the Nike Pre, he battled the best in the world, running 8:08, the fastest ever in U.S. by an American steepler. e World Championships in Moscow was tough.

Evan Jager was there the whole way, battling the world’s best, and he finished 5th, in 8:08, the best time ever by an American in a World final and the best performance since 1984. But for Jager, no medal.

In Brussels, Jager continued to show his promise, and on Sept. 6 he ran 13:02.41, a 12-second PB! Speaking to Coach Schumacher afterward, it was obvious that Jager had wanted a medal in Moscow. Medal or no, he has come a long way in 18 months.

Watch Evan Jager. He will astound in 2014!

Vol. 8, No. 3 • Fall 2013 Alex Larsen

Publisher’s Note

Group Publisher Larry Eder larry@runningnetwork.com 920.563.5551, ext. 112 Group Editor Christine Johnson christinej.ssm@gmail.com 608.239.3787 Advertising Larry Eder larry@runningnetwork.com 608.239.3785 Writers/Contributors David Hunter, Mark Winitz Photographers www.PhotoRun.net Alex Larsen

Larry Eder Coaching Athletics Quarterly is produced, published, and owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc., PO Box 801, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538-0801. Publisher assumes no liability for matter printed, and assumes no liability or responsibility for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher.

Layout/Design, Art Production Alex Larsen Proofreader Marg Sumner, Red Ink Editorial Services Editor Larry Eder

Copyright ©2013 by Shooting Star Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission of the Publisher. Coaching Athletics Quarterly is not related to or endorsed by any other entity or corporation with a similar name and is solely owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc.

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Publisher recommends, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.

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CA7

CA-NEWSLETTER-Sept-Oct_Layout 1 9/11/13 12:26 PM Page 8

u s at f

USATF Prepares for New Heights in Dynamic Olympiad

by Mark Winitz

D

uring his two-plus years as CEO of USA Track & Field, Doug Logan set a goal of 30 Olympic medals for the U.S. at the London Games. The U.S. hadn’t achieved this medal count on the track in a nonboycotted Olympics since the 31 medals in 1956, and in 2008, for example, had won 23 gold, silver, and bronzes in Beijing – about average.

After Logan was fired in 2010, Max Siegel, who became USATF’s new CEO in April 2012 after a 16month search, didn’t back down, saying “We’re sticking by the 30 medals.”

USATF President Stephanie Hightower echoed Siegel’s vow as scores of USATF’s administrators and volunteer leaders—despite a lingering sentiment of skepticism in some ranks—rallied around the task.

“The opportunity to take the lead in USA Track & Field’s efforts to win 30 medals in London and to maximize our athletes’ potential across all event groups was something I could not pass up,” said 1984 Olympic gold medalist (100m hurdles) Benita Fitzgerald Mosley who serves as USATF’s Chief of Sport Performance.

The result: Team USA brought home 29 medals from London—more than any other nation and just one medal shy of the goal Logan set four years earlier.

What are USATF’s goals in the new Olympiad? For this five-part series, American Track & Field sought out several of USATF’s key committee chairs—all of whom serve as volunteers within the organization—for their views. After all, volunteers are the lifeblood of the federation, carrying out numerous daily nuts-and-bolts tasks with little or no recognition. Of

8CA

course we’ll also touch base with several of USATF’s top hired brass and learn their priorities and objectives for the organization over the next four years.

$3.1 million on high-performance/ development and other elite programs—only slightly down from $3.4 million spent on these programs in the 2012 Olympic year.)

Sue Humphrey

How does the High Performance Division establish and prioritize its high-performance programs?

We have a 4–6-year High Performance Plan. We’re already looking down the road to 2020. So, we don’t look at performance annually, even though we need to turn in an annual high-performance plan [to the USOC]. And, we look beyond the current quadrennium because we realize that some of our athletes who are college freshmen and sophomores now are going to be our high performers in 2020. And athletes are now staying in the sport longer, so we can have viable medalists in their late 20s and early 30s. Ten or 20 years ago that wasn’t the case.

Our first interview was with Sue Humphrey, chair of USATF’s Women’s Track & Field Committee and a key member of USATF’s High Performance Division. Sue was also head women’s coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic track and field team.

USATF’s High Performance Division is composed of the federation’s Men’s Track & Field, Women’s Track & Field, and Race Walking sport committees plus the organization’s Joint Development Group (which shares development responsibilities with USATF’s Long Distance Running Division). Together with management in USATF’s national office, the volunteers who serve in this division have responsibility for developing USATF’s High Performance Plan.

Sue, where does the funding come from for USATF’s high-performance programs, which are charged with developing our Olympic podium prospects of the future?

It comes via grants from the U.S. Olympic Committee. This funding typically dips the year after an Olympic Games and peaks as the Games approach. We did get decent funding for 2013, and some areas actually went up, which was, I’m sure, based on our success in London.

(Editor’s Note: USATF’s $19.4 million operating budget for 2013 shows a $2.9 million sponsorship grant from the USOC, identical to its grant in 2012. In 2013, USATF plans to spend

Let’s discuss the strategies and programs described in USATF’s most current High Performance Plan leading up to the London Games so our readers can understand the kinds of efforts involved. Please briefly talk about each of the five strategies in the plan …

High Performance Strategy #1: Work with and support the best coaches and their facilities to build specialized high performance centers nationwide.

We fund 4–5 high-performance centers each year. Annual funding for each center varies from $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the needs and the quality of each center. Our [annual] budget for these centers is only $100,000, yet all the centers produced medalists in London or

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Olympic finalists who had the potential to medal.

The centers we fund are selected by an application process, and we’ve done this for the past three years. We fund training enclaves throughout the country that are already in place. To receive funding, each center must have at least five elite-level athletes—rated among, I think, the top 40 in the world in their events—and one podium-level coach. We plan on continuing the training center program in the current quadrennium.

High Performance Strategy #2: Establish consistent access to cutting-edge sport science, medicine, and technology that is fully integrated and utilized.

For the past three years, instead of bringing groups of athletes to sport science summits, which we did previously, we’ve had a traveling group of sports scientists and psychologists go to them. These sports science programs take place year-around—at meets, summits, via conference calls, and sometimes right at the athlete’s training site. The scientists travel to areas of the country such as southern Florida, Texas A&M and Los Angeles that are rich with Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 athletes.

Tiered athletes?

Yes, USATF now has a four-tier system which, depending upon performance levels, qualifies athletes for specific USATF and USOC benefits such as funding opportunities, etc. For example, athletes who have medaled in the most recent World Track & Field Championships or Olympic Games, or have achieved a top-10 world ranking in their event in 2012, or top-5 in 2011, are classified as Tier 1 and qualify for all USATF and USOC benefits.

Thanks for explaining that. Tell me more about the sports science programs.

This group of traveling sports scientists films athletes, conducts functional body assessments, and makes recommendations for technical corrections. This program has been very successful. It’s a proactive program, rather than a wait-

until-you’re-hurt reactive strategy. We film at training camps, at [Olympic] Games and championships, and the films are available for viewing by the athletes and their coaches via a password-protected computer application.

How are coaches involved in these analyses?

We used to have the coaches involved in these analyses with sports scientists all the time. Then money got cut back, and just the athletes met with the scientists. Now everybody seems to be realizing that having the athletes there with the coach is needed so the coach is better prepared to implement the sports scientists’ recommendations.

The coach can put these recommendations into ‘‘coach speak” for the athlete. It’s important to keep the scientist, coach, and athlete on the same page, and involved together.

Sometimes, when you tell an athlete something it doesn’t always get back to the coach in the same way.

Do you have priorities, or refinements, in store for this sport science program during the current Olympiad?

The main priority is to keep our athletes healthy. It allows athletes to make technical corrections before they get hurt. It does us no good to have an athlete—even a world record holder— make the team and then be hurt at the Games. In addition, the technical refinements you make in your event increase the likelihood that you’ll be successful. The same holds true for proper mental focus and techniques.

Absolutely. High Performance Strategy #3: Focus on systematically identifying, recruiting, retaining and developing the highestpotential athletes in our sport.

This is an area that we really have to keep working on because the U.S. Olympic Committee is only interested in the top-level athlete. If you’re not already a top-level athlete, they [USOC] really don’t have programs for you. So it’s necessary for the national governing body of our sport to provide these developmental programs. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of development money through

the USATF budget. We’ve been trying to create more funding and ways to bring in our immediate post-collegiate athletes into some of these athlete support programs that we’ve already set up. That way, they can rub shoulders with our Tier 1 athletes and get the benefits of these programs by osmosis, so to speak.

In particular, we are trying to identify promising athletes in the events that we’ve traditionally been weak in— women’s triple jump, javelin, etc. We’re working with the coaches and event experts in these events to create some new developmental strategies.

Also, retaining our high performers is an issue. It usually boils down to finances. The love of the sport and the will to compete are usually there, but sometimes the finances aren’t. For example, how do we keep some of our promising jumpers in track when they’re offered six-figure contracts in volleyball and basketball?

That’s an excellent question. What is USATF doing to address this?

This is where the USATF Foundation has been helpful with grants. The number of athletes making a lot of money in track and field is deceptive.

People think that just because you win a gold medal that you’re rich. You might get a one-time, big payday, but that doesn’t get you through four years.

Road racing is a little different because you have a more steady stream of potential prize earnings throughout the year. In track and field—particularly in the field events—we don’t have that. So, maybe, one percent of these athletes have decent shoe or club contracts and/or prize money situations.

The rest are on their own. These are the athletes that we’re trying to help with grants through the USATF Foundation. We also have developmental programs that assist athletes with funding to get to domestic meets where they can get head-to-head competition, see where they stand, and get qualifying standards.

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Tell me about High Performance Strategy #4: Establish and maintain clear, high standards of behavior for coaches, athletes, agents, service providers, administrators and affiliates.

Yes, we have our Coaches Registry [started in 2010] which requires all coaches to adhere to a code of conduct, and coaches and volunteers of youth clubs to complete a criminal background check. If coaches want the benefits of passes for national championships and things like this, they must join this registry.

The need for this registry came out of the USOC because coaches in some of the other sports, i.e., swimming and gymnastics, were taking advantage of some of their younger athletes. The USOC pushed to us and told us we needed to quickly come up with a plan. In fact, USATF already had coaches registry and background check programs in the works.

The benefits of being a registered coach include admittance into USATF high-performance coaches’ symposiums for a reduced fee, admittance to various coaches’ clinics, and getting coaches’ passes for national meets. And, it gives you a stamp of approval that you’re a good, upstanding citizen.

Our registered coaches, registered agents, and athletes who make U.S. teams all have codes of ethics and behavior standards. Our intent is to have all these groups acting professionally.

High Performance Strategy #5 appears to be the bottom line: Keep people/events on the podium and get finalists onto the podium.

The amount of pressure put on athletes and coaches—by the U.S. Olympic Committee and/or the general public—to perform every four years is tremendous. I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased that some of our athletes who were competing in London at their first Games really rose to the occasion and were able to defuse this pressure. Over the years we’ve been trying to help them psychologically and physically prepare for these major meets. The programs we’re trying to develop go hand-in10CA

hand with creating and developing a new base of athletes who have the potential to become our future elite.

Coaches, of course, are essential in this effort. We want the coaches involved in the federation. It’s unfortunate that a lot of college coaches have felt the need to pull away from USATF. They’re an important pipeline for us. We trying to talk and pipeline with them to get them back in the fold. Plus, our high school coaches are our pipeline for the college and USATF’s junior programs, and the college coaches are our pipeline for our post-collegiate and Olympic programs. So, without the high school and college programs, we wouldn’t have the successes we’ve enjoyed. We want coaches as an essential part of USATF. It’s not an us-versus-them mentality by any stretch.

What are the High Performance Division’s vision and focus regarding our key domestic meets and championships over the next several years? And, what do you think about the Drake Relays exciting new half-million-dollar sponsorship arrangement with Hy-Vee supermarkets this year?

Our domestic meet opportunities have definitely decreased. We’ve been trying to figure out how to get new sponsors involved with these meets, just as Drake has done. Drake has an excellent organizing committee, the meet is in the center of the country [Des Moines, IA] so it’s a good situation from a travel standpoint. We’re looking forward to going back to Des Moines for this year’s USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and we’re working with them to increase attendance.

Creating new outdoor domestic opportunities is crucial. If we can offer decent prize money at these meets, our athletes would much rather compete domestically than travel overseas. Also, there are limitations to events overseas since getting lanes for our athletes in big meets has gradually become more difficult. So, USATF is working to dovetail with U.S. meets to assist our athletes, especially our immediate post-collegians who don’t get their way paid to compete in Europe.

Right now, there are few competitive opportunities for immediate post collegians in May or early June before nationals. We’re trying to work creatively, such as creating mini meets, which are more spectator friendly. For example, we’ve had throw meets in Tucson where we’ve created a “big international meet”–type of schedule where preliminary rounds are on one day and then finals within the next several days.

Every event area, based on the time of the year, has different needs, For example, early in the season, many of our top sprinters don’t want to compete in their individual events, but are more than happy to run relays.

So, we’ve dovetailed into some of our major relay meets, in some instances letting the athletes put together relay competitions where competitors receive travel expense support, but that’s it.

What are some of the other priorities for the High Performance Division and the Women’s Track and Field Committee over the next four years?

We have to remember that every gold medalist started somewhere at the bottom. I’m concerned that we don’t have the development funds we need to support our immediate post collegians who haven’t reached the performance level to be eligible for funding from the USOC. We’ve been working to help these immediate post collegians achieve the competitive standards the USOC requires for funding. We can’t forget the group that’s just coming out of college at the expense of focusing on just the medalists. Folks need to remember that the Olympics are every four years, but we need to keep working at supporting our athletes throughout the four years.

MARK WINITZ is a longtime writer for American Track & Field. He sits on USATF’s national Men’s Long Distance Running Executive Committee and Law & Legislation Committee. He also sits on Pacific Association/USATF’s Board of Athletics and is a Certified USATF Master Level Official/Referee.

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Evan Jager’s Steeplechase Victor Sailer/www.PhotoRun.NET

Love Affair

By David Hunter

It’s a question that will always be asked: Why in the world would any accomplished track & field athlete actually choose to run the 3000 meter steeplechase? A certain school of thought suggests that because the steeple—with daunting water jumps and those damn sturdy barriers that simply don’t move—is such an arduous and technically complex event, steeplechase competitors are desperate distance running outliers, forced to run this crazy event because they simply can’t reach the performance level that would allow them to compete in more sane events—like the 1500 or 5000.

USA’s Evan Jager may be the best evidence that this theory of universal disdain for the steeple—if not completely without foundation— is grossly overstated. “I definitely love it,” Jager unabashedly proclaims shortly after qualifying for the 3000 meter steeplechase final here at the 2013 World Track & Field Championships. “When I first started training for the steeple, it took me, like, two weeks to get hurdling down. And once I did that and it felt really comfortable for me, I just knew I was going to have a lot of fun with the event because it just felt so natural,” adds Jager.

Make no mistake, the young Wisconsin graduate didn’t retreat to the steeplechase due to an inability to compete at, say, 5000 meters. Jager’s impressive yet certainly outdated 5000 PR of 13:22.18, set four years ago when he was a 20year-old pup, does not accurately reflect Jager’s current 5K potential. “I definitely feel I can still be relevant and race the 5K on the international level —probably not the 15. I definitely just choose to do this event [the steeplechase] because I really enjoy it and, obviously, I think it is my best event.”

To appreciate fully Evan Jager’s steeplechase accomplishments and his potential in the event, it’s important to understand how far he has come in such a short time. Jager redirected his focus to the 3000 meter steeplechase in early 2012. His first steeple competition—an auspicious debut at the 2012 Mt. SAC Relays where he won in 8:26.14— was in April of the Olympic year. Less than three months later, he won the U.S. Olympic Trials steeplechase in 8:17.40. Just like that, this then-23year-old nascent steeplechaser was off to the Olympic Games to compete in an event that’s traditionally dominated by older, more experienced athletes who have honed their steeple skills over many seasons. In London, Jager made the final and finished a most credible 6th. His Olympic performance—stunning for one so new to the event—was not completely unexpected. In Monaco, only weeks before the Games, Jager had offered a further glimpse of his massive upside steeplechase potential by running a sparkling 8:06.81 to set a new American steeplechase record.

Evan Jager is an immensely talented athlete with a free-spirited, understated personality. His unbelievably rapid steeplechase progression, combined with his youthful good looks and legendary wavy, flowing blond hair, have accorded him a sort of rock star status. Hell, his abundant locks alone have spawned a Twitter account; @JagersHair has 461 followers! While the young steepler categorically denies ever being a skateboarder [“I never really skateboarded,” he insists], he admits to enjoying snowboarding. “I used to snowboard, but I don’t do it anymore,” offers Jager. “I would get killed if I got hurt snowboarding.”

Jager’s chilled-out, breezy exterior can camouflage his perfectionist tendencies, his precise attention to detail, and his competitive fire. is emerging star didn’t become the American record holder in the steeple through a casual, unfocused approach to the event. His meteoric rise was fueled by a carefully constructed regimen founded on perfection, an approach developed by Jager and his coach/event specialist Pascal Dobert. Jager and Dobert, himself a three-time U.S. national steeplechase champion and two-time Olympian, have forged an athlete–coach union that has cultivated Jager’s fast-paced, steep improvement. “He’s been huge,” insists Jager, who is quick to attribute much of his success to Dobert’s skillful contributions.

“He’s been with me every day from Day 1 when we started training. Right away, he is telling me how to do it perfectly. It obviously is a long process to get everything down correctly—hurdling technique and water jumping. But he just expected me—and he was teaching me—how to do it perfectly right from the get-go. So there was no babying around to learning it. And I think that was part of the reason why I have taken to the event so fast.”

Jager credits Dobert with starting him out correctly, preventing him from developing bad habits during the learning process and perfecting his textbook either-leg hurdling technique. “We started out from Day 1 doing both trail legs/both lead legs, so that is the only way that I’ve practiced.

I am sure I have one leg that is better than the other, but I can definitely do both.” Dobert taught Jager that practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.

Swift to learn the steeple, Jager is also a quick study on championship racing. In Monday’s preliminary round, the young American stayed alert and out of trouble in his qualifying heat. Ready to go when the pace picked up, Jager moved with efficiency over the final 600—his picture-perfect hurdling never wavering—winning his heat in 8:23.76, 0.08 seconds ahead of championship favorite Ezekiel Kemboi, the world leader with an earlier-posted 7:59.03. “I felt pretty good,” the re-

laxed Jager confided after the race. “Coming down from altitude, I felt really good the last two days.

So I was excited to get into the prelim and just kind of see what it felt like again to get into a highprofile steeple race. I stayed in the top four for most of the race. at was the goal: to stay in the top four and finish in the top three. It felt good.”

Over the final circuit, Jager was on the watch to protect his qualifying position from any attempted homestretch heroics. “I looked [at the big screen] on the backstretch so I knew there were people there. I guess I didn’t know we had gapped all those guys until just a little bit before the last hurdle. But when I was over the last hurdle, I heard the French guy [Noureddine Smail] trip up on the hurdle.

And I knew that pretty much secured my top three spot. I felt really comfortable the whole time. e last lap was a little bit of a grind. But I was just trying to compose myself and stay as energy efficient as possible. So I think that has something to do with it. I’ve got two days’ rest and I think I’ll be ready to go for the final.”

It’s easy to sense that Jager will bring a quiet assuredness into ursday’s final. “I don’t feel like it is a new event for me anymore. I feel like I gained a lot confidence last year,” he explains. “And opening up in the steeple at Pre with an 8:08.60 [a time never matched by any other American] gave me a huge amount of confidence. So I am definitely feeling comfortable being in the top five with the Kenyans and Mekhissi [France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad].” Beaming, Jager adds, “I am starting to really love the event now.”

What is Jager’s ideal tempo for ursday’s final? “I am hoping for a fast race,” confides Jager, whose Pre mark makes him #8 on the WL list. “I think that the Kenyans—assuming all four get into the final—might take it out hard or maybe they’ll share the lead in duties and try to get all three medals. Mekhissi is fast and he has run 8:00 already this year. I am not really sure. We’re just going to be ready for everything. But if it is really fast, I am not going to be upset.” e American record holder has a plan for pre-final chilling. “Stretching. Massage, definitely.

Ice bath,” says Jager. “Luckily, I have four other teammates here so I’ll have someone to hang with.”

And with a smile he adds, “I won’t be doing any skateboarding, for sure.”

Editor’s Note: In the World Champs final, Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN) took the title in 8:06.01.

Jager finished 5th, running 8:08.67. Visit www.iaaf.org for complete results.

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"

# !$

Summer training is the key to success, not only in cross country, but also the following spring track season. The keys are to build yourself up, both physically and mentally. We at AT&F met with the folks at Saucony to help promote this program. Here’s what we’re going to do: We’ll provide you with 12 weeks of summer and fall training, taking you through the first month of your season in this training program. We’ll also provide you with fine-tuning suggestions each and every week on www.atf-athlete.com starting the week of July 1. We’re publishing this piece in American Track & Field, Athletes Only, and California Track & Running News.

& ' ! $ $ !

This is a tough week. Check your shoes and make sure they aren’t too worn down.

Now would be a good time to get some racing shoes for the fall and use them for tempo runs. Also, if you’re a college athlete, up your morning runs to 35–40 minutes on Mon/Wed/Fri. Monday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 7x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute tempo run, 1-mile cool down.

To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. For example: If you currently run 18:50 minutes for a 5K, that’s 6:05 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:35 per mile.

Wednesday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 7x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 5 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 4 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8x150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down.

Friday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 7x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Saturday: Easy 30 minutes or find a hilly 4-mile race. Warm up and focus on running the second half well. You might feel rusty early, but you’ll feel better on the second half.

Sunday: Long, easy run, 60–65 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends.

## # ! % How did your 4-mile race go? Are you starting to see some differences in your fitness level? This week, focus on the tempo run and the hill workout. Remember to drink lots of liquids (water, sports drinks, juices, green tea), eat well, and remember to have a good snack after long workouts, like 2% chocolate milk and a PowerBar. Also, if you’re a college athlete, keep your morning runs to 35–40 minutes on Mon/Wed/Fri. Monday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute tempo run, 1-mile cool down.

To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. For example: If you currently run 18:50 minutes for a 5K, that’s 6:05 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:35 per mile.

Wednesday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 7 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 6 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8x150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down.

CA13

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Friday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Saturday: Easy 30-minute run or walk.

Sunday: Long, easy run, 55–60 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends.

! " # ! "" $ #!' " High schoolers start school within a couple of weeks; college runners have a month to go. HS juniors and seniorsL you should be able to handle the 2 or 3 easy morning runs of 30 minutes. College runners, depending on your standards, should be able to handle 3 morning runs a week, M-W-F for 35–40 minutes. Also, if you’re a college athlete, up your morning runs to 35–40 minutes on Mon/Wed/Fri. Monday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute tempo run, 1-mile cool down.

To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. So if you can run 18:30 for a 5K now, that’s a 6:00 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:30 per mile.

Wednesday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 7 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 6 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8x150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down.

Friday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Saturday: Easy 30-minute run or walk.

Sunday: Long, easy run, 60–65 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends.

!' " Your first real race will be a revelation. You should be able to handle the distance, but perhaps your pace will be slower than you expect. Don’t worry. You’ll recover quickly and should be racing fit in 3–5 races.

Monday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute tempo run, 1-mile cool down.

To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. So if you can run 18:30 for a 5K now, that’s a 6:00 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:30 per mile.

Wednesday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 8 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 7 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8x150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down.

Friday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Saturday: Easy warmup, 5K race for high schoolers/4 miles for college runners.

Go out well, but pick it up each mile. With 800 meters to go, see what you can do.

Sunday: Long, easy run, 65–70 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends. Keep this on soft ground and run relaxed. If you’re sore from Saturday, then really slow it down. If you have any pain, consider cutting it short.

## ' # &# !" ! ! # High school cross country starts quickly with a couple of races a week, so use those early races to get into shape. Continue to build speed.

Monday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on 14CA

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grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute tempo run, 1-mile cool down.

To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. So if you can run 18:30 for a 5K now, that means a 6:00 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:30-per-mile.

Wednesday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 8 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 7 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8x150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down. Or, if a race happens on Thursday and Saturday, finish up with the 10x150 yards and then do your 1-mile easy cool down.

Friday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Saturday: Easy 30-minute run, or a 5K race for high schoolers, 8K for college runners.

Sunday: Long, easy run, 65–70 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends.

!' " You now have 3 months of solid training behind you. Keep the days between racing and hard days relaxed. Now it’s time to focus on your racing. How are you feeling?

When do you tire? When do you kick? Try some different approaches.

Monday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Tuesday: 1-mile warm up, 20-minute tempo run, 1-mile cool down.

To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. So if you can run 18:00 for a 5K now, that means a 5:50 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:20 per mile.

Wednesday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Thursday: 1-mile warm up, 9 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 8 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8x150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down.

Or, if a race happens on Thursday and Saturday, finish up with the 10x150 yards and then do your 1-mile easy cool down.

Friday: Warm up; 45–50 minutes easy running; 8x150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.

Saturday: Easy 30-minute run, or a 5K race for high schoolers, 8K for college runners.

Sunday: Long, easy run, 65–70 minutes, on grass or dirt with friends.

Weeks 13–16 available next issue.

Coupon Code: RunNet1

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